HEMATOLOGY I

MeLS 331
4 credit hour

AAU/ SMLS/Hematology I lecture slides

10/17/2009 (Gebru M and Dr.Aster Tsegaye)
Course Information

Course Code: MeLS 331

Credit Hours: 4
Lecture: 3 hours/week
Laboratory: 3 hours/week
Prerequisite: Introduction to MLS
Instructor Name: Gebru Mulugeta and
Dr. Aster Tsegaye
 CHAPTER 1
Introduction

AAU/ SMLS/Hematology I lecture slides

10/17/2009 (Gebru M and Dr.Aster Tsegaye)
Objectives

Upon completion of this chapter the student will be able to:

 Discuss the overview of the course hematology I
 Define hematology
 Discuss the history of hematology
 Recognize the role of hematology laboratory in clinical
medicine
1.1. Introduction
Definition of Hematology
 Greek term
 Haima means blood
 Logos means discourse
 Hence Hematology is the science or study of blood
 It encompasses:
 the study of blood cells and coagulation
 Analyses of concentration, structure and function of
cells in blood and their precursors in the bone marrow
 Scope of hematology
 Includes analysis of the concentration ,structure and
function of cells in the blood, their precursor in the
bone marrow, chemical and molecular composition of
plasma such as blood proteins which are used for
clotting and the different kinds of pathologies
associated with the formed and fluid portions of the
blood .

AAU/ SMLS/Hematology I lecture slides

10/17/2009 (Gebru M and Dr.Aster Tsegaye) 6
1.2. Historical background of hematology

 History of hematology dates back to primitive man

 Loss of large amount of blood was associated with death
 Excess blood, plethora, was also considered as the cause
of all ills by the ancient Greeks
 In support of this belief they introduced the practice of
bloodletting supported by starvation to induce anemia.
1.2. Historical background of hematology
 Gradually hematology elevated into a discipline of
medicine with basic morphological observations that can
be traced to a distinct pathophysiology by people of
science such as Galen, Harvey, van Leeuwenhoek ,
Virchow, and Ehrlich
Historical background cont’d
 Introduction of the microscope in the 17th century by
Antoni van Leeuwenhoek and others:
 allowed the study of circulating blood cells, and
interest arose in their possible function
 Theory and dogma were replaced by scientific
understanding
 In the early 19th century, studies were made on the
causes of anemia and its deleterious effects on the
patient.
 This was followed later in that century by descriptions of
blood diseases such as Addisonian pernicious anemia,
Hodgkin disease
Historical background cont’d

 Early 20th century, Castle first treated patients with

Addisonian pernicious anemia by giving them raw liver
followed later by liver extract
 Measurement of hemoglobin and microscopic
examination of peripheral-blood cells hence became
essential to medical practice as a means of diagnosis
 Subsequent development in molecular biology and
automation enabled:
 electronic manipulation of cells
 detection of genetic mutations underlying the altered
structure and function of cells and proteins that result
in hematologic disease
 Decreased the turn around time (TAT; testing time)
1.3. The role of Hematology Laboratory
in Clinical Medicine
 Confirming a physician’s clinical impression of a
possible hematological disorder
 Establish a diagnosis or rule out a diagnosis
 Detect an unsuspected disorder
 Monitor the effect of radiation or chemotherapy
 Although the CBC is the most frequently requested
procedure, the technologist or technician must be
familiar with the theory and practice of a wide variety of
automated and manual tests performed in the laboratory
to provide quality patient care
Summary

 Definition of Hematology
 Historical background of hematology (from primitive
thinking, advent of microscopy, advancement of
molecular techniques and automation)
 Role of hematology laboratory in clinical medicine